We have the Spanish to thank for the introduction of Platinum coins to Spanish-colonized America in the 18th century. Platinum's name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto which translates into "little silver of the Pinto River". The metal itself is dense, malleable, ductile and grey-white. The coins created weren't used much for currency as it was too easy to counterfeit them (the metal resembles many other cheaper metals). Platinum isn't particularly malleable or ductile, like silver and gold, both of which were more valued at the time for the production of coins.
The Spanish discovered platinum in gold-bearing ore but were unable to use it for many years because they weren't able to process the metal due to its high melting point (2041.4 Kelvin). Platinum was cheap during this period and was used to fake silver. Eventually, the Spanish discovered that gold and platinum can be alloyed together and this led to the counterfeiting of gold coins. After a royal decree in 1735 the metal was confiscated from the counterfeiters and thrown into the sea.
The Spanish were also known to have produced British Sovereigns made of a gold-plated alloy of platinum and copper. They successfully managed this due to the almost identical specific weight of both platinum and gold. Platinum is an extremely rare metal which is found at only 0.005 parts per million in the crust of the earth. Its rarity and working properties account largely for its desirability and high cost.
Platinum was obtained by Spanish colonizers to Mesoamerica after they conquered Columbia and specifically the Choco region that extends from Panama to Ecuador. Platinum occurs naturally in this region as alluvial deposits (in soil and river sediment) and were used by the local tribes to produce artifacts that contained the metal alloyed with gold.
Charles Wood, a British metallurgist, was the first European to become interested in the metal in 1741 when he found some on the island of Jamaica. Platinum was also found by the Spaniard, Antonio de Ulloa in Ecuador during his eight year stay from 1736 to 1744. Spanish coins like the Real were used throughout Mesoamerica and in America particularly from 1497 until 1857, however, legitimate (government sanctioned) platinum coins were only produced by Spain for a short period in the 18th century.
The Spanish discovered platinum in gold-bearing ore but were unable to use it for many years because they weren't able to process the metal due to its high melting point (2041.4 Kelvin). Platinum was cheap during this period and was used to fake silver. Eventually, the Spanish discovered that gold and platinum can be alloyed together and this led to the counterfeiting of gold coins. After a royal decree in 1735 the metal was confiscated from the counterfeiters and thrown into the sea.
The Spanish were also known to have produced British Sovereigns made of a gold-plated alloy of platinum and copper. They successfully managed this due to the almost identical specific weight of both platinum and gold. Platinum is an extremely rare metal which is found at only 0.005 parts per million in the crust of the earth. Its rarity and working properties account largely for its desirability and high cost.
Platinum was obtained by Spanish colonizers to Mesoamerica after they conquered Columbia and specifically the Choco region that extends from Panama to Ecuador. Platinum occurs naturally in this region as alluvial deposits (in soil and river sediment) and were used by the local tribes to produce artifacts that contained the metal alloyed with gold.
Charles Wood, a British metallurgist, was the first European to become interested in the metal in 1741 when he found some on the island of Jamaica. Platinum was also found by the Spaniard, Antonio de Ulloa in Ecuador during his eight year stay from 1736 to 1744. Spanish coins like the Real were used throughout Mesoamerica and in America particularly from 1497 until 1857, however, legitimate (government sanctioned) platinum coins were only produced by Spain for a short period in the 18th century.
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